House trashes by guest - over 6000$ damage, Airbnb offers 250$

[Raphaël13]

On December 30th, we arrive at our house to find that a big party had been held. The house was trashed, disgusting, and tousand of dollars of damage have been done.

My profile says not party, smoke free house, and the guest said he was coming with is partner to relax for 2 days. He was warn by message and verbally not to go in the basement, where my studio is and where we put our personal belonging when we rent the house.

We found the house dirty, with cigarette buds, liquid all over the floor, including in the baby's room. Alcohol and vomit in the sheets and towels, which had been use to mop the floor and left wet. There was ketchup on all the walls. The basement toilet (that work with an electric pump) had been clogged with plastic bags and it's still no working to this day because the pump has to be changed. We had to clean for 4 hours just to have a room to sleep in, and spent the following days cleaning the rest of the house.


Thousand of dollars of damage to my professional audio equipment. Studio monitors,  sound card, audiophile speakers, shoes left outside, antic table broken, cigarette smell on the baby's cloth and toys, and many many many other things. I have hundred of pictures proving the damages.

I've immediately called Airbnb and had the police over the day after for a report. The neighbors told us about a fight in front of the house during the night.

On the phone, airbnb agent told me the host guarantee would cover all the damage caused by the guest.  I've sent hundreds of pictures to Airbnb, with links and all the relevant information. In each email, they kept asking for new things, which I've always provided. I have a full time job, my wife is 8 month pregnant, we keep traveling between Montreal and Ottawa because the baby has to be born in Montreal where our doctor is. Each time they ask me something new, it's complicated for me but I've provided everything. In the last email I've got on Sunday, they say photos where not good enough, they wanted videos. I've replied by saying I was in Montreal and would manage to go back to Ottawa make the videos during the week.

After 3 our 4 emails, the last email I've got said this was taking to much time and that I've failed to provided the documentation they asked for. They offered 250$. I have for more then 6000$ in damage this excludes all the time we've spent cleaning the house

This is not acceptable.  I am going to do as much as possible to let people know about how they treat the hosts and how this fake "host guarantee" is a scam. I'm considerind all the legal options.

Be aware - AIRBNB does not help the hosts when a situation like this happens.

[Kalin-And-Marquis0]

This is absolutely awful. I've heard many people so the so-called host guarantee is a sham also. I'm sorry this happened to you.

[Judy1]

Hi @Raphaël13,

As a fellow host and a fellow Canadian, I am so beyond sorry to hear that you have had to experince something like this. I am fuming just looking at those pictures! 

I am glad to hear that you have considered legal options and filed a police report. I am curious, did you open a case in the Resolution Centre? The reason why I ask is because you mentioned that there were emails going back and forth. The Resolution Centre houses every single piece of evidence, including receipts, estimates, pictures, ect. that can be seen by Airbnb, you (the Host), and the guest. You could even upload the police report there. There is an option to escalate the situation if you have not heard back from the guest or if they have refused to pay for the damages. I have found that when communicating via email and responding back and forth in a message thread, evidence and proofs that were submitted get lost and often, the case jumps from case manager to case manager. Everytime you call, another person takes over and it becomes this horrible chain of messages back and forth. 

I will admit that hosts have to jump through hoops in order get some sort of relief when damages exceed secruity deposits. It is very stressful and you feel like you don't have any support. If you do continue to host, I recommend looking into home insurance that covers short-term rentals.

Once again, my apologies you are having to go through this. I hope everything works out. 

Warm wishes,

Judy 

[Raphaël13]

Hello Judy,

Thanks for the warm words.

Yes, after speaking with the agent on the phone, the first think I did was to open a case in the resolution center. This was only a few hours after we got in so I've specified in the message that many other reclamations were to come. This first reclamation was for about 3600$. Of course, the guest never replied in the resolution center or to the other messages I've sent him.

After 72 nours, I've received an email from Airbnb. They asked me for more photos, which I've provided in a link with hundreds of photos, plus links for most of the damaged equipment. I've alson sent the police report number and the contact of the police officer in charge of the case. As I was askw, I've also provided a quote by a plumber that for the uninstallation and replacement cost of the pump for the basement toilet.

Sunday, I've received another email saying the photos didn't show the damage (!) for the audio equipment, they wanted a video. I replied saying I would manage to go to Ottawa back and forth today and send videos. They also asked for an official report by the plumber. 

This morning, I've received an email saying I've failed to provide the requested document in the time allowed and that my case was closed, final decision.

 Many time I've asked for someone from the resolution center to call me since the agent from the regular line cannot help in those situation. No one ever called me.

This has been incredubly  time consuming and stressful for me and my wife. But I am not done with it and will make sure pople are warned about those situation.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

o my god :((( .... I am the host and I am scared

[Raphaël13]

THIS COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

[David126]

Renting out especially short term is high risk. 

I agree with the other comment that anything AirBnB pays seems to be tokenistic at best.

I note you did not have a security deposit and the amount you charge seems very low.

Do you have your own Insurance?

[Natashia0]

100% agree with you about their bull**bleep** host guarantee. We had guests leave indian food (a dark curry) on our brand new concrete floors and it stained, ruining the entire floor. The grubs must have walked through the food for the 3 days they were there as it is smeared everywhere. Airbnb wont help at all! Our floor to fix is $1200 so taking legal action for us is not worth it but it is disheartening to know they havent got your back after they promise you the world.

[Robin4]

@Raphaël13

Oh no, here we go again. There is a steady stream of events exactly like this which come to the forum, and the response from Airbnb appears to me the same in almost every instance.....you will be hung out to dry by Airbnb.

There are three possible avenues that might help @Raphaël13!

Put this post complete with photos on Airbnb's Facebook page! Although they are miserly and heartless, they are sensitive to critical comment, and airing their 'dirty linen' in public may get some sort of more positive response from them!

One host a few months back got some sort of satisfaction because she went right to the top and hounded the founder of this organisation until she could be ignored no longer! Email this post of yours to brian.chesky@airbnb.com and keep resending it...even if it is 2.00am. He will of course not respond but it will get passed on to someone who might possibly be able to help you.

Bad, rotten luck Raphaél, I feel so sorry for you. Once again Airbnb have chosen to hide behind reporting gobledegook to sidestep their responsibilities. 

Another avenue which is gaining strength is the use of the media. Most newspaper and reporting services will now gladly run articles on party damage done in Airbnb listed properties, particularly when the documentary evidence is as strong as yours, and this gets right to the heart of the issue. Airbnb will do almost anything to keep that sort of publicity from the public!

As I said in another post.....I don't want to screw Airbnb, but I don't want them to screw me either, and as a host who tries to do the best I can, I just want to know that there will be a life vest there for me when the waters get choppy.

Mate, I hope you can find that 'life vest'!

Cheers......Rob

[Raphaël13]

Thanks for the advices, I appreciate it.

At least people on this forum are supporting, not the case in all the generic messages the agent of the resolution center are sending.

I've made a post on Airbnb's facbook page. I hope it will be seen and will have an impact on people opinion of airbnb's host garantee.

Thanks also for giving me the email adress of the founder. I've just send a first email and I'm gonna keep sending some everyday.

I'm not going to give up on this...

[David126]

I do not like the social media black mail route as a matter of principle, there is the theoretical option of Arbitration, not sure how practical that is, not seen an account of anybody who has tried, so may be your only option.

Under promise and over provide should be the motto, Host Guarantee seems to be the opposite.

[Monica4]

@Raphaël13   Call CBC....they like stories like this. Once made public, Airbnb will pay up.

[Deborah1]

I would post photos on facebook site. That is sure to get their attention.

[Amanda-and-Kate0]

Raphael, I’m so sorry that happened to you. It’s absolutely horrifying to see that your house was trashed and destroyed! 

Here are three things I’ve learned from a trashed and robbed home experience 
1) keep all recipes for big ticket items to make claim a tad easier 

2) invest in an August lock to control remotely who can gain access to your home 

3) invest in a Party Squasher, a box that can detects the number of mobile devices are in your home. Any time there’s a surge in number, you will get an alert via text message about a possible unwanted party